“On January 27th, a small drone landed on the grounds of the White House. Thankfully, this incident did not threaten the President or his family, as it was nothing more than an ill-advised misadventure by a hobbyist..” said Rep. Watson Coleman.
On March 26, 2015 Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, who serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives, via the use of “extended remarks” in support of a bill called “the Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act”:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the “Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act.”
On January 27th, a small drone landed on the grounds of the White House.
Thankfully, this incident did not threaten the President or his family, as it was nothing more than an ill-advised misadventure by a hobbyist.
It did, however, raise serious questions about the threat commercially available drones may pose to individuals, infrastructure, and our aviation system.
Recently, drones were observed flying over sensitive assets in France, including nuclear installations, the home of the French President, and near the United States Embassy. These drone activities have raised concerns about the security implications of the commercial availability of small and medium sized drones.
Undoubtedly, drones have great commercial potential and their utility will aid our agricultural sector and others in the decades to come.
Even as drones have the potential for so much good in the hands of a farmer, there is the risk that they will be used for ill in the hands of someone who intends harm.
Last week, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, of which I am the Ranking Minority Member, of the House Committee on Homeland Security, held a hearing regarding the potential security threats posed by small and medium sized commercially available drones.
During the hearing, we heard from experts in the field regarding the need for DHS to act as the Federal lead in researching the issue of security vulnerabilities posed by small and medium sized drones.
The witnesses described the need for DHS to develop security policies and for DHS to disseminate information to State, local, and tribal law enforcement officials regarding how such officials may bolster preparedness for and responses to attacks perpetrated by commercially available small and medium sized drones.
I authored the “Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act” to address the issues raised before the Subcommittee last week and to ensure DHS serves as the lead Federal department responsible for the security issues raised by small and medium sized drones.
The bill also requires DHS to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment regarding small and medium sized drones so that the policies the Department and its components develop are based on sound analysis and the probable rather than the possible.
Finally, my bill will address the concerns we heard from the President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police regarding a lack of information being disseminated regarding how State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies should respond to potential threats posed by drones.
It does so by mandating that the Secretary of Homeland Security provide information to State, local, and tribal law enforcement entities regarding how to prepare for and respond to potential threats posed by drones.
I urge my colleagues to support the “Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act”.
Source: Congressional Record
See related video: Drone crashes onto White House grounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hr5u1UNHdw
Note: As a member of the 114th Congress, Watson Coleman serves on both the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the House Committee on Homeland Security, where she is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Oversight.